ktgrok Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 I suspect this as well. I don't doubt that there are docs who do this, but I think it is not a majority as some people make it seem. In my professional career before I became a stay at home mom I interacted with many doctors, particularly peds, and I never ran across one who refused to keep a patient because the parent disagreed with them or their treatment recommendations. Now, I did know a couple of older peds who didn't keep up with current info and gave crackpot advice. There are actually several doctors in my area that won't take unvaccinated patients. But there are also several that have no problem with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Yes, I have taken all of my children especially as babies/toddlers. They 3yo wellness check picked up my oldests extreme long sightedness which we had no idea about. She had glasses 6 weeks later and they are strong! I consider it important to attend but don't always take on board what they have to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 I believe that is highly exaggerated by some parents, for various reasons. I could see a doc kicking a "but I researched it on the internet" mom to the curb if she was like some of the ones I frequently encounter. Well, I disagree that it is "highly exaggerated". Indeed, I just received the "bad parent" letter that my doc of 30 years said he now was required to give me and pressure me to sign. I told him I'd run it by my attorney (spouse). We both laughed. He knows he will never see it again and he doesn't push me, though this is a sign to me that this practice too will eventually boot parents who aren't compliant sheep. He told me the CDC was pressuring doctors now to make all patients sign this. If I do sign it just to keep seeing him, I will be rewriting it to reflect reality.:tongue_smilie: He also told me my kids have done extraordinarily well and that there were some vaccines that are no longer an issue due to their ages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 My niece wasn't vaccinated until she went into kindergarten. They had to go to the hospital urgent care when she was really sick one time and they made her dad sign a paper that said they would refuse to treat her if she came in again without being current on her shots. The local medical center will not accept patients that have not been vaccinated. You have to make a meeting with the doctor to discuss how you will catch the child up on the vaccines. (I don't know from personal experience, but my MIL works there). So the claim that you will be kicked out for not obeying the doctor's wishes is probably over-exaggerated, but, in our area at least, it isn't that far from the truth when it comes to immunizations. Wow, that seems really over the top, especially if the kids are there for reasons UNrelated to vaccines? Unbelievable. If I brought a kid in for a broken arm and they want to yammer on about vaccines, then we are gonna tangle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 There are actually several doctors in my area that won't take unvaccinated patients. But there are also several that have no problem with it. :iagree: In the last state I lived, we had a great family practice doc who respected parent choice. In my current state, the only doc within 30 mins who will see unvaccinated patients is well...terrible. Very nice guy, but not a great doc. Very open minded, etc. but he has given advice like give benedryl for croup, which is contraindicated. I know a few other people who used him and had similar experiences. So we're left with mediocre to poor care. Another practice will take non vaxers and they are very holistic. They are MDs/DOs but deal with a lot of chemical sensitivity patients and so forth. The wait times though are 1-2 hours :001_huh: I just can't do that with three kids. There is a third practice I've heard about recently that will take non vaxers. Yes, it is very real to be kicked out for not complying with the routine schedule. Our very first ped office 9 years ago gave parents a form saying "vax on schedule, or we aren't the office for you." They weren't the office for us for other reasons, so we left. I had to drive 40 mins to find someone else decent. There are some docs who will take non vaxing patients, but grill or pressure them each visit, which isn't really okay either. I know quite a few moms who basically didn't take their kids in as often due to that behavior. That's not exactly good care either, kwim? I miss our last FP doc. I seriously have one option left to try in my area, and I have to hope it works out. That still involves a 30-40 min drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Annie Laurie: ETA: Doctors seem to approach well-child visits differently nowadays, and it does annoy me how intrusive they are. No kidding! I couldn't believe how many extra "suggested" questions were listed on the Sports Exam forms for this year. It's NONE of their business, absent a medical issue. I have to tell the nurses every single time they examine my baby not to retract an intact p e n i s and I have even had some ask me why. I cringe when I think of the pain they've unknowingly inflicted on baby boys. I could hardly believe that I was reading this. They DO that??? I never did well baby visits when they were little. SO glad if this is par for the course. It retracted naturally at the right time, my son tells me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 No kidding! I couldn't believe how many extra "suggested" questions were listed on the Sports Exam forms for this year. It's NONE of their business, absent a medical issue. I could hardly believe that I was reading this. They DO that??? I never did well baby visits when they were little. SO glad if this is par for the course. It retracted naturally at the right time, my son tells me. Yep, we ran into this as well. The hospital handed out info that said basically do nothing until they can retract on their own. However, we dealt with 2-3 care providers that insisted on retracting. I about flipped my lid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Momof3littles: In the last state I lived, we had a great family practice doc who respected parent choice. Until I read all these posts, I knew it was an issue but not how big it really was now. I guess we've been really lucky! Yes, it is very real to be kicked out for not complying with the routine schedule. Our very first ped office 9 years ago gave parents a form saying "vax on schedule, or we aren't the office for you." This is just SO wrong on so many levels. NINE years ago? Yikes. I'm glad I live here, home-birthed, and have flown under the radar as much as possible. I feel sorry for what hoops my kids might have to jump through with their kids if it is this bad now. They weren't the office for us for other reasons, so we left. I had to drive 40 mins to find someone else decent. There are some docs who will take non vaxing patients, but grill or pressure them each visit, which isn't really okay either. I know quite a few moms who basically didn't take their kids in as often due to that behavior. That's not exactly good care either, kwim? What do they do? Just ask right up front if you vaccinate on schedule? I have had the same family doc since like the 70's so I have no idea what happens when you get a new doc. My kids go to him now. I do drive 40 minutes but he's worth it. Apparently, he's really worth it - has won all these peer recognition awards and is actually a geriatric specialist as well, which came in handy when he was caring for my Mom. We are about the same age, the doc and I, so I hope I have him for awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 What do they do? Just ask right up front if you vaccinate on schedule? I have had the same family doc since like the 70's so I have no idea what happens when you get a new doc. My kids go to him now. When you decline, ask to delay, or if they want records transferred or you choose to transfer records and they see the history, they know immediately. IME that either results in a condescending lecture (funny as DH worked in pharma as a scientist (now a scientist in a different industry), and I have a master's in a health care field), or a "we aren't the practice for you" talk. I know of a few practices that will tolerate non vaxers or those on an alternative schedules, but insist on a lecture at each and every visit. And each visit there's a new vax that the ped says, "Well, please, just give this one." Til the next visit, when it is the new request or the new lecture. We have had some docs be more tolerant I think because of our backgrounds, but that still isn't fair to those parents who made a decision after educating themselves, or who don't vax for religious reasons. They have a right to make informed decisions about their children too. We have moved 4 times since DS1 was born almost 9 years ago, and the issues with finding a good physician are very stressful to me each and every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 When you decline, ask to delay, or if they want records transferred or you choose to transfer records and they see the history, they know immediately. IME that either results in a condescending lecture (funny as DH worked in pharma as a scientist (now a scientist in a different industry), and I have a master's in a health care field), or a "we aren't the practice for you" talk. I know of a few practices that will tolerate non vaxers or those on an alternative schedules, but insist on a lecture at each and every visit. And each visit there's a new vax that the ped says, "Well, please, just give this one." Til the next visit, when it is the new request or the new lecture. . Wow, with your background that's amazing that they do this to you. We don't have that medical background but I do have a background of lots of doctor errors causing disability or death in family members. You had better believe that if I go to a doctor on an issue, I am well informed on that issue. You have to be, today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkInTheBlue Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Well, considering they said my oldest's eczema was ringworm for about 5 miserable months and that I just needed to keep applying that anti- fungal cream to my infant's screaming red belly. And considering they brushed me off for about 3 months as a silly mom with a colicky baby when in fact he was having several stomach pain in response to the dairy in my diet. And considering they rushed my 10 month old off to the emergency room for a MRI because he army crawled and had a slightly elevated SED rate which cost me a few thousand dollars when I didn't have the insurance to cover it... No, I don't have much faith in Peds. When our older boys were babies and small kids it was blunder after blunder until I have little to no faith in them. Their advice is to blindly follow the formula companies health advice and the Ped Assoc faith without thought. Our oldest 2 are probably just now at the time of needing some boosters (they were fully vaccinated) and we are considering selectively vaccinating our 6 year old (never had a vaccination). I have no idea where to go. We are back in the hometown where we had so many mess ups with the oldest 2 and they are known for being so militant on the vaccination opinions that they refuse treatment if you don't stay on their schedule. I really wish I could figure out what to do. It's one of the issues on my side of the paper for a serious consideration of moving. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Well, considering they said my oldest's eczema was ringworm for about 5 miserable months and that I just needed to keep applying that anti- fungal cream to my infant's screaming red belly. And considering they brushed me off for about 3 months as a silly mom with a colicky baby when in fact he was having several stomach pain in response to the dairy in my diet. And considering they rushed my 10 month old off to the emergency room for a MRI because he army crawled and had a slightly elevated SED rate which cost me a few thousand dollars when I didn't have the insurance to cover it... No, I don't have much faith in Peds. When our older boys were babies and small kids it was blunder after blunder until I have little to no faith in them. Their advice is to blindly follow the formula companies health advice and the Ped Assoc faith without thought. Our oldest 2 are probably just now at the time of needing some boosters (they were fully vaccinated) and we are considering selectively vaccinating our 6 year old (never had a vaccination). I have no idea where to go. We are back in the hometown where we had so many mess ups with the oldest 2 and they are known for being so militant on the vaccination opinions that they refuse treatment if you don't stay on their schedule. I really wish I could figure out what to do. It's one of the issues on my side of the paper for a serious consideration of moving. :) Sorry you went through all that. Arrgh. If you need to find another doctor, you might have better luck with a family physician. I think it is a real benefit that the doctor gets to know all of the members of the family and their particular health strengths and weaknesses. It was terribly important when the hospital docs wrote off my Mom as having dementia, because our family doctor was able to straighten them out, as he had seen her for years, and very recently and she was just fine. It was infection, not dementia! A couple rounds of antibiotics and she went back home, not into a nursing home! I'd never, ever use a ped after all I have read here. They seem extremely dictatorial and invasive. I'm sure some are good, but it seems that more are invasive and demanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkInTheBlue Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Sorry you went through all that. Arrgh. If you need to find another doctor, you might have better luck with a family physician. I think it is a real benefit that the doctor gets to know all of the members of the family and their particular health strengths and weaknesses. It was terribly important when the hospital docs wrote off my Mom as having dementia, because our family doctor was able to straighten them out, as he had seen her for years, and very recently and she was just fine. It was infection, not dementia! A couple rounds of antibiotics and she went back home, not into a nursing home! I'd never, ever use a ped after all I have read here. They seem extremely dictatorial and invasive. I'm sure some are good, but it seems that more are invasive and demanding. I'm suspecting you are correct. I think we need to just skip the whole pediatrics route altogether. How do you research doctors? I don't want to speed hundreds and hundreds of dollars and hours and hours of time to go grill doctors on their thoughts on grilling kids on their sexual life or at least having a rational conversation about vaccinations. :) How do you choose a new doctor? Very sincere question... I want a doctor who wants to be a doctor not a therapist and one that will work with me and listen to me not be a dictator. :) Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 I'm suspecting you are correct. I think we need to just skip the whole pediatrics route altogether. How do you research doctors? I don't want to speed hundreds and hundreds of dollars and hours and hours of time to go grill doctors on their thoughts on grilling kids on their sexual life or at least having a rational conversation about vaccinations. :) How do you choose a new doctor? Very sincere question... I want a doctor who wants to be a doctor not a therapist and one that will work with me and listen to me not be a dictator. :) Thoughts? I wish I had some advice on that. I've never had to find a new doctor! My kids are third generation at the current practice, at which I saw doctors growing up, so we are kind of "Grandfathered in" and they leave us mostly alone. Maybe you can research practices online today? Or try one for a minor thing, and then another if you don't like the first one until somebody is right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomandlorih Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 We do not vax and do well-baby visits.. just to keep me sharp with telling the docs no.. lol Seriously though, our med group will take you off the list of your preferred doc if you don't go in every once in a while. Happened to my husband and it was tough getting him back in since our doc.. "wasn't accepting new patients". So we take the kids in once a year around their birthdays. Doesn't cost much for a co-pay and avoids a big hassle if you ever really need to see him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kht2006 Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 We take DD every year...whether she needs to go or not just to have a relationship with the clinic in case of an emergency. So glad we did this when DD broke her leg at a bounce house. I called and said, She broke her leg. Her bone 'snapped'. Do you want us to come in or get x rays first? We got the x rays, and it was a fracture, so the hospital sent us straight to an outpatient ortho. Saved us the ER copay and ER doc visit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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